What is the Color PAC process?

Richard Photo Lab

January 04, 2018 00:36

If you shoot film, whether as your full-time love or as half of your superstar hybrid status, you’ve heard the term “color profile”. There’s a lot of talk in the community about it because, well, every film lab and their mother is saying that they can apply a color profile to your film scans these days. Other phrases or words that are thrown around to describe a color profile include “custom scans”, “personalized scans”, “color preferences”, etc. We’ve heard it all! But the truth is, not every color profiling process is the same—and the differences in how your visual preferences are communicated and applied to scans can be monumental!

You see, when it comes to the characteristics of your scans, everything is relative and subjective. If you say you want something lighter or warmer or bluer or whatever-er, the scanning technician is still just speculating at what that means to you. And if something is up for interpretation, it’s likely to also be misinterpreted at some point. That’s why Richard strives to provide a more thorough and accurate process to understanding and executing your visual tastes.

Richard is the “godfather” of color profiling, if you will. 20+ years ago, Richard’s main clientele was composed of high-end commercial photographers working in music and entertainment photography. Their photos were being used internationally for major promotional material, and photographers (and the major entertainment production companies often employing them) needed their iconic pop-culture imagery to be both consistent and on-brand. Richard recognized that these two components were valuable to all professional photographers, and introduced the concept of custom, frame-by-frame review to the world of high-end wedding & event film photographers facing the start of the digital revolution in the late 1990s. With so many years of expertise under our belt, the crew at Richard has refined and mastered the process of creating and implementing what is referred to today as “color profiles”.

How exactly does Richard build your personalized color profile? You’ll fill out a questionnaire telling us all about your shooting habits, equipment, inspirations/mentors, and your business as a whole. We will also have you gather lots of source materials and samples of your work. Then our General Manager, Bill, will chat with you one-on-one in great detail—this guy has decades of experience and boatloads of know-how in building color profiles, and together you will meticulously nail down your vision! Details about your profile are closely managed throughout testing/execution and tweaked over time as your style and methodology evolve.

But wait, there’s more to it than just understanding what Richard can do for you at the scanning level! There are a number of variables that affect the appearance of your images outside of the scanning process. Bill will coach you through them, revealing the root causes of the visual components you love (or hate) and discussing your shooting techniques, equipment you use, environments you shoot in, and more.

When you create a custom color profile with Richard, it is just part of a multi-faceted occupational toolbox known as the Richard Color PAC (or Personal Account Consultation). Why would you want to get more than just a color profile? Because when you choose to be a professional photographer, you’re no longer just an artist, you are a business owner. Having brilliant-looking images just isn’t enough! To be in business means strategically working towards profitability and sticking around for the long haul—it is your livelihood we are talking about here. There are also instances where hobbyists find this part of Richard’s consultation useful because we serve as a sounding board for ideas to take any venture to the next level (paid or unpaid!). It’s focused around setting and strategizing how to achieve your personal and professional goals. #winwin

Hence, the most distinguishing feature of the Color PAC is the invaluable professional acumen you get during the business consultation portion. In fact, you’ll go through this process before you even begin building out a color profile. First, as part of a virtual workshop online, we’ll review with you the common pitfalls that put photographers out of business (and how to avoid them), the foundations for success we’ve witnessed firsthand that photographers use to elevate their business, and the role your lab plays in building your art, your brand, and your bottom line. It’s a lot to wrap your head around, so we also do a Q&A to make sure each photog has the fundamentals down before moving to the next step!

Then, you’ll have a heart-to-heart with Richard’s lab owner, Brian. With decades in the industry at all levels as well as a noggin built for business, Brian will dig deep to address your entrepreneurial woes and uncertainties. Perhaps your number of bookings has plateaued. Or you are working a ton but just barely seeing a profit! Perhaps you’re having trouble gaining brand recognition through your current marketing efforts. Maybe you’re investing tons of man-hours in one area of your business and it’s throwing off your workflow. Or perchance business is booming but you don’t have a strategy for what to do next! Whatever the case, we’ll analyze and clarify your current circumstances and then prioritize tactics for strengthening your business.

BONUS: You’ll have a trusty Account Manager walking you through the entire process from start to finish, while also serving as your educational resource, professional advocate, and go-to guru for all things Richard.